Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

Apollo, hand cut helmet shell, some hairlines, some dents to the frame. Changes to findings on back blurring the age; probably last 15 years of the 19th originally, with a newer bail & clasp, repair to pin. If the bail does not swivel - & I can't see that it does - that's a liability.

If not already done, advise testing metal in more than one part; bezels & the frames around them are not always the same. Can only further advise checking eBay sold listings for similar to see selling prices. Don't expect to get rich on this one.

 

It looks like it would flip down to be hidden behind the cameo... ?

 

Okay. Now put your coffee down so it doesn't come out your nose.







Someone made this thinking they were making a thing of beauty. And someone else bought it once.

The head looks like molded glass based on the chip where the neck broke. I'd assume the green is glass. Frame is all brass with tin/lead solder. No marks.

 

Perfectly decent Czech glass, in need of a cleaning. Believe me, there are worse out there. When people doubt that, I always use this example:

 

Yes, hinged. But if bail does not turn 90 degrees, piece would want to hang sideways on a chain or ribbon.

 

I agree, she's actually not that bad, though it's too bad she's chipped. She has a decently detailed mold and her frame is really quite nicely sculpted. She's a better looking sort of costume cameo. I assume the holes in the top were for stringing beads to her for a necklace.

 

I've see the Lady in Black before. It's a known mold. Too bad someone gave her a traumatic chin reduction.

 

Thank you for the inputs

This lady looks like a 1950s Italian factory job to me

The setting is what I'm wondering about. Looks like silver with light tarnish. Twisted gold wire. Two marcasites at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00.
The back marks look maybe Arabic to me.

And the chain has what looks like METRI to me.

No sign of signature on the back of the shell.

 

.800 silver with a gold wash? Dunno about the chain; it's its own thing.

 

What she said. And what you said: 1950s Italian factory made, including the the mount. The marks look rather botched, but no doubt the intention was to mark it as 800 silver. The chain is not of the same origin.

 

Found a lot listed as costume jewelry for $14.50 that included this piece I suspected was overlooked.



No marks, but the shank has two obvious lines on either side where it was resized and more metal added, so might explain that. I thought it might be silver but in person it was obvious they'd upped the contrast on the selling image and the tarnish was very light. I cleaned and polished it up and it really looked like gold to me.





Tested it yesterday and it's 14k gold. The hardstone has lost some of the carving in the neck area so I'm not sure if he/she was originally wearing a collar. No idea who this may be, if anyone. I haven't seen this carving image yet elsewhere. I also haven't found this same ring shoulder style, and they tend to be purely decorative, so the vaguely caduceus etching is probably nothing I'm guessing. Any insights?

 

That is very interesting, @mirana ! Great find! The shoulder area almost looks like there could have been onlays of some other material (or a different colored stone) in the areas that look a bit hollow. But maybe I'm not seeing it correctly.

I've never seen this carving image anywhere, either... but you, @Bronwen , and @PepperAnna have all seen a lot more than I have.

 

Thank you @Figtree3 !

Seems to be just carved in person, though I have seen some of a similar shape with yellow gold contrasted before.

I'm secretly a super newbie at this. (shh) I couldn't even afford to breathe in the direction of fine jewelry before last year. But I do have a professional background in art and history so I can usually detect a fine carving to lead me in the right direction. I have time off now so I'm indulging looking at old catalogs, museum collections and reading books before I go back to the job and have time only to sleep lol. I use the excuse that all learning is super relevant to my career. So far the husband is buying it.

 

We won't tell him! The carving looks more like Prince Valiant than anyone Greek. Or maybe I just read one too many Sunday comics as a kid?

 

Oh, he knows. He's probably sick of hearing about it but he just enthusiastically encourages me. He (claims to) like the cameos since he has an art/history background too so he can understand an impressive carving and wearable art. He keeps hinting that he's fond of this ring, since it's about 3 sizes too big for me. Last time we went to a picker co-op he'd look for cameos to show me and ask about.

Valiant had that sweet page boy 'do. I do agree I think it looks more someone going for medieval/renaissance than ancient roman.

 

Not too shabby for $14.50. Think figure is just an anonymous modern miss with bobbed hair. That split shoulder design seems absolutely like asking for a broken stone. As for the resemblance to a caduceus, could also be one of my favorite words: libellula.

 

My first cameo purchase in quite some time [EDIT: actually it hasn't been that long], I couldn’t resist this cute little guy. It depicts Cupid chained to a rock/plinth - a small bit of one of his wings is just visible behind his arm. Cupid is being punished for the mischief he has created with his bow and arrow. (Seller identified the subject as a young Prometheus who, as an adult, was chained to a rock as punishment for stealing fire to give to mankind.) I was able to find a couple other examples of this subject, museum-owned and purportedly by Pichler. Mine is unsigned and not quite Pichler quality. While searching the internet, I also found an 1820s stick pin with the same subject signed by Pestrucci. THAT SOURCE also states, "The same composition was also carved by Giovanni Pichler and Antonio Santarelli (see No.: 39.22.49 of the Milton Weil Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)."

Mine is quite small, with the cameo itself only being about 1in/3cm tall. I have no idea what the setting is, I have not tested it and it’s not marked. (Seller claimed gilded silver.) The condition is decent… There are some very fine cracks on the front, but they do not go through to the back of the shell. The hairline through Cupid himself is much more noticeable in the photo than in real life. I’m thinking mid to late 19th century... or is that filigree-type setting more indicative of the early 20th century?
Love his six-pack!




I just happen to have a catalog of the Milton Weil collection, which shows a similar cameo:

 

nice find............... six pack.........very funny !!!

 

Nice one, I would have grabbed it too. Think seller likely correct that it is gilt or gold washed silver. I can't tell from pix, do findings show any sign of replacement or repair? In my experience, when those elements, if original, are well made, as they are here, the whole piece is of good quality.

I love images of Cupid getting into trouble, but don't have any. I so wanted this one, for both subject matter & type of cameo, but it zoomed past auctioneer's estimate & well out of my range:


In this version you see Psyche, represented by the butterfly, exulting, as I see it.

A large part of what drew me to my Talani Leda, when I knew only that it was Leda, was her roll of tummy fat:

 

Chained love, how bleak! At least he had time, as most prisoners, to get a workout on. Got to keep Psyche interested!

He's fantastic. Great carving with lovely body language. The frame and findings are quite nice too. I love seeing the research you did and now I've got another book I want to track down.